Rib Fest

I took the kids to Rib Fest the middle of June. For those of you who don’t know what Rib Fest is I’ll explain. Every year the 2nd weekend in June (this year it was June 8 – 12) a bunch of vendors from all over the US come and set up stands in the Fargo Dome parking lot and sell ribs. There’s a contest for the best ribs. Along with the ribs there’s music entertainment each night and Games Galore sets up a bunch of blowup toys for kids to play in. On Saturday they had free parking and gate admission for a few hours so I decided to take the kids down to the dome for some fun. The weather was great. Of course there were a lot of other people with the same idea but it was fun. The kids got their wrist bands and off they went to play. After a little play time MaKena decided she wanted to play on the Rainbow Systems playground that was set up. While MaKena played Jacob watched an act that was going on under a tent nearby. He even got to toss the guy a pin while he was on a unicycle. Once the juggling act was finished grabbed some lunch and then played for a little while longer. I could tell MaKena was getting worn out so we called it a day.

MaKena getting her face painted. She LOVES to get her face painted. At home I have to watch her close because she'll take her markers and color on her face.
She asked for 2 flowers!

Jacob and MaKena waiting in line.

Up they go to the top.

Down the come!

I think MaKena would have spent all day playing in the sand and on the swing set. MaKena and Jacob going down the slide.

MaKena looking out the binoculars.

Jacob getting ready to toss his pin to the guy.

A perfect toss!!

Jacob and MaKena checking out the fire truck. Both kids love fire trucks!

Hanging out on the back of the fire truck.

Jumping like crazy in one of the many jumping toys.

More Sprinkler Fun

For the second day in a row we hooked the sprinkler up for MaKena to run through and cool off. This time she was supporting her cute little bikini! She loves to be outside and especially loves to play in the water!

Sprinkler Fun

Summer has arrived! We had a couple really hot days back in the beginning of June. When I say hot I mean hot! I think it was 92 – 94 degrees. It was hot! I didn’t have MaKena’s pool down from the attic so we decided to hook the sprinkler up and let her run through it. Rosemary, the neighbor girl, came over and joined MaKena. There was a lot of screaming going on and a little running through the water. I think the water was a little cold but it sure felt good on the hot day. Hopefully we have many more warm days to run through the sprinkler and swim in the pool.

Getting ready to run through the sprinkler.
Here she comes!
A little closer.
Nope, not going to jump over it! Such a goofy girl!
Attempting it again!

Almost there!

MaKena and Rosemary discussing a plan on how to run through the sprinkler. At least I think that's what they were talking about!

She finally jumped over the sprinkler.

The Park

After a fun filled day at Cat and the Hat and “helping” daddy and papa on the deck on Sunday MaKena and I headed to the park by our house. We don’t go to the park much anymore because we have a swing set in our back yard that MaKena likes to play on. We decided to go for a walk and ended up at the park! MaKena always has fun at the park. She’s like a little monkey going from one thing the next. She sat still long enough for me to get a few good pictures of her otherwise she was on the go the whole time. Oh how I wish I had half her energy some days!

Cheese!!!
MaKena getting ready to slide down the slide.

Down she goes!

Climbing up the steps to slide back down!

She loves the slide! I couldn't take pictures of her swinging from the bars because I was too busy helping her so she wouldn't fall. It's a long drop to the ground!

The Deck Project

This summer Lane has taken on a project. He offered to build a deck for Lonnie and Ardis’s neighbor. Unfortunately the weather hasn’t cooperated this spring / summer so he hasn't had a lot of time to work on it. After MaKena and I spent the day at Rheault Farms visiting Cat in the Hat we headed over to see Lane’s progress. Lane and Papa Lonnie were working hard and MaKena got in on the action. She really liked helping Papa and Daddy. She helped Daddy mark the boards with a pencil, she helped Papa shovel dirt and sand and she even helped clean-up by sweeping the sawdust mess daddy made with the saw. She was in 7th heaven!!

Lane and Lonnie working hard on the deck.

MaKena getting in on the action.
MaKena posing for the camera!

Daddy and MaKena with their pencils in their ear!

MaKena helping Papa dig a hole.

Such a good helper!!

She loved to help Papa with the shovel.

Happy 1st Birthday Gunnar!!

Happy 1st birthday little G-man aka Gunnar! I cannot believe you are a year already. I remember the day you were born. Where did the time go?! We hope you have a wonderful day and we can’t wait to celebrate you big milestone with you. We love you!!

MaKena giving Gunnar a kiss on his BIRTHday!
Gunnar holding mommy's fingers as he walks around.

Cat in the Hat

The United Way of Cass Clay was hosting The Cat and the Hat at Rheault Farms on Saturday, June 4th. The weather was perfect so MaKena and I decided to spend the day at Rheault Farms to see Cat in the Hat. Unfortunately daddy was busy working on Willie’s (Lonnie and Ardis’s neighbor) deck so he wasn’t able to join us. When we got to Rheault Farms it was hard to decide which activity to do first. There were so many to choose from. We quickly got in line to get MaKena’s face painted. As we stood in line I asked MaKena what she wanted on her face and to no surprise she said a horse. Once it was her turn she sat down and the guy (yes, we got the only guy at the face painting table) asked MaKena what she wanted. He quickly got her to change her mind and she agreed to have a pink flower instead!

After the face painting station we headed over to make our own book. We didn’t really make a book; MaKena just colored and wrote her name. Then we spoiled our lunch and had some free ice cream and watched Penny and Pals. I don’t think MaKena is a big Penny and Pals fan. She didn’t really care too much about what was going on. After a quick lunch we stood in line to have her picture taken with none other than the Cat in the Hat. The line was long but worth the wait! She waited like a big girl and when it was her turn to get her picture taken with the Cat in the Hat she had no problem sitting on his knee and saying cheese. I was worried that I’d have to be in the picture with her!

When we finished visiting with Cat in the Hat we checked out the fire truck and police car. MaKena really liked sitting in both and asking the firemen and police officer questions. It was cute. Then we headed back over to the blow up toys and did a lot of jumping in the crayon jumper and climbed up the slide several times. We couldn’t leave without playing on the jungle gym. Finally I had had enough fun for one day and decided it was time to leave. The melt down didn’t start until it was time to go!

MaKena sitting like a big girl getting a flower painted on her face.
"Making" her own book. She told me she was drawing a dinosaur!

This was a mommy dinosaur.

Drawing her name! Can you see it? She is writing the a at the end of her name.

Jumping in he crayon jumper. She LOVED jumping.

More jumping.

Climbing up the blow up slide.

Down she goes!

Cat in the Hat!

MaKena with Cat in the Hat.

Checking out the fire truck.

Posing for a quick picture on the back of the fire truck.

"Driving" the police car!

Swinging on the monkey bars like a little monkey!!